BEC Posted February 25, 2006 Share Posted February 25, 2006 I have been working on this literally for years. I knew there had to be something better than the K-77. My first effort was a duplicate of the K-77 with interior improvements as an attempt to eliminate some of its problems. The result was this tweeter pictured below. It is technically better built but sounds just like a K-77 and tests almost the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEC Posted February 25, 2006 Author Share Posted February 25, 2006 Second effort was a massive magnet model of the same thing. This thing looks impressive and tests a bit better than the single magnet model, but not enough improvement to be worth the effort. Bob Crites Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEC Posted February 25, 2006 Author Share Posted February 25, 2006 Up to present time. Here is one of the prototypes of the new tweeter using the Eminence APT-50 driver with a cobbled together adapter and modified K-77 horn. Several forum members have been listening to these for months now. This thing really sings! People were pleased enough with it to convince me to spend the money to have a custom horn molded. Bob Crites Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEC Posted February 25, 2006 Author Share Posted February 25, 2006 Today I picked up the first 60 of the horns. Some pics follow. Bob Crites Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEC Posted February 25, 2006 Author Share Posted February 25, 2006 another Bob Crites Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEC Posted February 25, 2006 Author Share Posted February 25, 2006 one more Bob Crites Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEC Posted February 25, 2006 Author Share Posted February 25, 2006 CT125 Bob Crites Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEC Posted February 25, 2006 Author Share Posted February 25, 2006 CT125 more Bob Crites Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEC Posted February 25, 2006 Author Share Posted February 25, 2006 CT125 again Bob Crites Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEC Posted February 25, 2006 Author Share Posted February 25, 2006 CT125 with Z-brackets Bob Crites Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEC Posted February 25, 2006 Author Share Posted February 25, 2006 CT125 Z-brackets again Bob Crites Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhendrix Posted February 25, 2006 Share Posted February 25, 2006 WOW, Bob, those are gorgeous!! I can't wait to get mine. If they sound anywhere close to what folks have reported, I'll be sending more $$ to swap out the rest of the K-77's. I've been saving my pennies . . . Does the driver screw on to the horn? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEC Posted February 25, 2006 Author Share Posted February 25, 2006 Bill, Yes, the horn screws on the driver. That will also allow people building their own motor boards to use a router to make a 1/8 inch recess in the front of the motor board to flush mount the tweeter without Z-brackets. Bob Crites Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Klappenberger Posted February 25, 2006 Share Posted February 25, 2006 Guys, I think Bob has got a good thing going with those new tweeters. I beleive that horn is a diffraction type that will yield better dispersion BELOW 6000 Hz when mounted vertically. At 6000 Hz and above I don't think it matters which way you mount it. I think that new driver will allow a lower crossover letting you take advantage of vertical mounting. The K400 and K500 squawker horns are not very good and I think crossing over to the tweeter lower would be an improvement. The total mod would require a redesigned crossover with a transition at about 4500 Hz and turning the new horn vertical. If you really want to stick to the K400 or K500 horns, I think this is the way to go. Right now, I do not offer a 4500 Hz netwrok, but I could easily develop an ES4500 to pair with one of my AP12 sereis networks for this application. Moding the stock Klipsch networks down to a 4500 Hz cross isn't possible because of the lack of a high frequency limit filter on the squawker. The K55 goes up to 6000 Hz like it or not! Al K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhendrix Posted February 25, 2006 Share Posted February 25, 2006 Al, I agree that the horn is probably a diffraction horn. If that's true, does mounting the horn behind the motor board aid or hinder dispersion? In other words, should a diffraction horn be front mounted, or rear mounted? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 "Modding the stock Klipsch networks down to a 4500 Hz cross isn't possible because of the lack of a high frequency limit filter on the squawker. The K55 goes up to 6000 Hz like it or not!" Not entirely correct Master Yoda. I've been bandpassing the squawker on the old filters for well over a year now, and Bob started playing with it himself after he realized the full potential of the tweeter -- just a single .50mH inductor between the squawker and the autoformer works good enough. Not the optimized beauties you offer -- but it sounds pretty darn good. Yeah, yeah -- first order filters are sloppy and crude. I'll post some pics tomorrow of the network I'm running right now -- you better break out the Pepto. Congratulations Bob, and thank you as well on behalf of Klipsch Heritage listeners everywhere! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bennyboy Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Bob, I am glad you have keep the looks of the Klipsch Heritage line . When you are ready you can send them to the Netherlands...... Bennyboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Klappenberger Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Dean, Yep, you can jurey rig a 4500 Hz lowpass into the squawker of a stock Klipsch network. It is doable, but it will not be a good network! When I say it is impossible I mean it is not advisable for a lot of reasons. The least of which is that even if you do the 4500Hz lowpass correctly, at a 13 Ohm level, the rest of the long list of compromises of the stock network remain. Do it right! As to the horn mounting, I think it's always best to mount any driver flush with the baffle board. It can even mess up a woofer to mount it from the back. I have seen that in the text books. I think it's even more important for a tweeter. That is why Klipsch went to the "Z bracket" monting. Al K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Bob, Congrats! The new horn looks great! Al, Dean is right on the sound of the stock network modified to 4500hz. The best compliment I ever got on my system was from Lee Clinton, who said after listening to part of one of his reference CD's.... "well damn you!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meagain Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Wow Bob! Congratulations for pulling this off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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